Similar items over time

Article from the property section of the Herald, about the new Commonwealth Centre buildings on corner of Spring and La Trobe Streets. Margaret Wood stated the the Department of Immigration was the first to occupy the building, on the ground floor. The Department had moved from the 6th floor of the Craigs Building, at 8 Elizabeth Street. The Assisted Division was the first hand side, after entering from Spring Street so that the Department could be seen in action when Robert Menzies was declaring the building officially open. This article is part of a collection of migration material collected by Margaret Wood an officer in the Department of Immigration from 1951-1960.

Margaret first worked in the Department of Alien Assimilation which focused on migrants post arrival, before moving to the Assisted Division which handled the reception of assisted European migrants arriving in Melbourne. Her final position was working for the General Assisted Passage Scheme, assisting migrants from the US, Scandinavia and Switzerland who came individually on general ships as opposed to migrant ships. She recalls her time with the Department with great pleasure. She was a young single woman and had just finished an Arts degree at Melbourne University. When she applied to the Public Service, she was placed with the Department of Immigration, as she spoke German. She left when she married in 1961 as per the policy at that time.

Description:

Newsclipping from the Herald. There are four columns of black text. There are two images in black and white showing the exterior of the Commonwealth Block Building.